


Let the Games Begin

by nerdlife4eva



Series: Nerd's Chasing Gold Zine Story [7]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Olympics, Angst and Feels, Celebrations, Excitement, First Meetings, Friendship, Opening Ceremony, POV Yuri Plisetsky, Paralympic AU, Pov Minami, Selfies, summer paralympics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 01:32:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13893423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/pseuds/nerdlife4eva
Summary: The Opening Ceremony for this AU!!!bichiiartcreated AMAZING art of Yuri and Minami which you can findhereIT IS STUNNING!! Please give bichiiart some love!!





	Let the Games Begin

**Author's Note:**

> The second to last promo before the zine fic!!! Pre-orders CLOSE for this zine on March 9th!! So please visit the [yoi chasing gold zine tumblr](https://yoichasinggoldzine.tumblr.com) to order your zines! (PDF orders are opening soon!) 
> 
> If you want to talk about this AU (or would like to send me prompts inside of this AU - which I intend to continue) please come visit me on Twitter or Tumblr!  
> [NeRdLife4Eva Twitter](https://twitter.com/NeRdLife4Eva)  
> [n3rdlif343va Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/n3rdlif343va)
> 
> Please also consider consider checking out my other series which you can find [here](http://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/series) (Victuuri and other rarepairs)

What Yuri knew more than anything else was that he didn’t want to be standing in the tunnel surrounded by other athletes wearing outfits matching his own red and white getup. The entire group was buzzing with an electric energy, posing for selfies and shouting to friends from the surrounding countries. They were excited, loud with the shared emotions and ready for their grand entrance.

The tunnel was practically shaking with the vibration of the cheers of the crowd in the stands, making Yuri peer around nervously. Taking a deep breath, he squeezed his eyes shut.

“ _Take it all in_ ,” Victor’s voice floated back to him and Yuri scowled, automatically fighting against his coach’s advice. He clenched his jaw, feeling the anxiety building in his chest and making him heave a heavy breath. _“There is no other feeling like it, walking into the opening ceremony, the whole world cheering for you. It doesn’t matter what games you are in, this is your time. So take a deep breath and let yourself enjoy it.”_

Yuri wanted to desperately push his coach out of his mind. Victor had insisted that Yuri experience this, the absolute thrilling terror of putting himself on display for nothing more than showmanship. Victor had made claims about the importance of this ceremony, claiming it to be a sign of unity between people from all countries, who were coming together to proof their strength to the world. For Yuri, it was the living, breathing version of a nightmare.

“Russia!”

His country’s name boomed from the megaphone of the stern looking woman standing atop a high platform at the stadium entrance. Around him, his teammates began to cheer, some of them crying openly as they began their walk onto the open field.

The ground beneath Yuri’s feet shook as the crowd cheered. Noise swelled around him like an attacking beast, weaving together the sounds of exuberant music, happy shouts from the people immediately around him and the uproarious thunder of the crowd which towered above them. His heart trembled with the power of it, his hands shaking against his thighs as his eyes opened wide trying to process all of the stimuli at once.

Lights circled into the sky, representing the rings which symbolized the unity they were there to celebrate. To his left drummers dropped their mallets in a grueling beat and Yuri could feel his heart trying to sync with the rhythm. Camera flashes and the large lenses of the media were thrust toward him, encouraging him to smile and wave as the world welcomed them to its greatest athletic display.

Yuri didn’t know he was crying until a small tissue box was pressed into his hand. Eyes trailing from the unexpected gift to its presenter, Yuri felt his breath stutter. Appearing calmly next to him was none other than Otabek Altin, Kazakhstan’s master archer who was born deaf and partially blind. Otabek’s talent was legendary and Yuri continued to gape at him as Otabek offered him a small smile, placing a brief hand on Yuri’s shoulder and squeezing.

“Thank you!” Yuri shouted, mentally kicking himself realizing too late the mistake he made. He went to raise his hands, attempting to remember the little sign language he had learned out of boredom, when Otabek suddenly grabbed his chin and nodded at his lips. “Thank you,” Yuri said, slowing down his words and feeling himself shake as Otabek watched his mouth move.

Otabek nodded his head, the smile growing slightly bigger as he signed what Yuri assumed was an acceptance of Yuri’s gratitude. They fell in step, side-by-side, continuing their journey around the field.

* * *

 

“HOLY SHIT!” Minami screamed, using the English profanity solely because he knew it and it felt like the only appropriate way to convey his awe at the sights in front of him.

The seats holding cheering audience members extended into the sky, leaving Minami dizzy as he tried to see to the very top. Every one of them was on their feet, clapping, stomping, and screaming as each country was introduced. In the middle of the parading ring of athletes, the musicians and dancers were bringing life to this portion of the ceremony, lighting the entire stadium with the reflections from their sequined outfits. Minami watched as the colors from the flashing lights bounced off of the dancers, creating a prism of color which danced through the air in time with the banging of the drums. The stadium felt like a living being and Minami was happy to have been swallowed into the depths of its belly.

Minami didn’t resist the chance to pose with everyone who threw an arm over his shoulders and dragged him into a selfie. He smiled until his cheeks began to ache, dancing with the ecstasy of his own elation. His heart hammered in his chest, the steady beat drilling into his ears and muting the roaring sounds of the stadium.

This moment was everything he had ever imagined it would be and so much more.

Following the rest of Japan’s athletes, Minami leaned toward the closest camera, proudly waving his flags into the lens. They lined up in their blocks, waiting together to listen the speeches which would officially open the games.

He should have soaked up every word being said, but Minami couldn’t focus. The gasp rippled through the crowd, starting on the field and moving in a wave through the spectators as the torch entered the stadium. Minami felt the tears instantly spring to his eyes, emotions expanding within him and leaving him struggling for a true breath. He burned every second into his memory, lifting his own phone to record from his standing place. Tears blurred his vision as the fire exploded in the ceremonial bowl.

* * *

 

The stadium erupted. Yuri clenched his fists, fighting the urge to cover his ears to guard against the overwhelming sound. Next to him, a single tear trailed down Otabek’s cheek. Feeling his own tears beginning to dampen his cheeks again, Yuri wiped a hand over his face. He would never tell Victor he was right but, standing there with a field full of athletes who were fighting battles as great as or greater than his own, Yuri knew that Victor was absolutely right. Stifling a sob, Yuri bit down on the inside of his cheek.

Before he could fully process everything happening, they were being encouraged back toward the tunnels. Music continued to provide the rhythm of their walk, carrying Yuri forward in his blind haze of emotion. Lost in his own head, his defenses were numbed keeping him from detecting the person running up on him from behind.

* * *

 

Minami had spotted Yuri’s grumpy head of blond hair and couldn’t resist the urge to razz his rival. Throwing his body forward, Minami tackled Yuri, pulling him backwards and holding up his phone. “Smile, Plisetsky!” Minami yelled, making his own smile obnoxiously bright as he snapped the picture.

“Get off of me!” Yuri pushed Minami from his body, stumbling slightly with a growl.

“Just you watch, Plisetsky,” Minami called, “by the time we are on the podium, I’m going to get you to like me!” Laughing, Minami fell back in with his own group.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Yuri resumed his patented scowl, determined not to let Minami chip anymore holes into his carefully crafted emotional walls.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my wonderful beta [atelerixe](https://atelerixe.tumblr.com) who has a much better grip on geography than I ever will ;)


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